Shrubsole’s date with destiny

The 25-year-old pacer bowled a dream spell – 6-46 – to lead England to its fourth World Cup title.

Anya Shrubsole's photo of the time she was at Lord’s as a child went viral a few days before the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 final on Sunday. It was, therefore, wonderful that she was the star with returns of 6 for 46 as England beat India by nine runs to lift the title for the fourth time.

Shrubsole, 25, bowled Smriti Mandhana for a duck early in India's chase of 229, but it was in the death overs that her real worth came to the fore.

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#WWC17 FINAL: England Winning moment

With the business end of the game set up by the spinners, Shrubsole hit the Indians like a tornado. The wickets of Poonam Raut, Veda Krishnamurthy and Deepti Sharma were all important in the context of the game, but the moment of the day came when she bowled Rajeshwari Gayakwad for the winning wicket, and Lord’s erupted.

A fitting end to what has been an exceptional ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.